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From The Mouths of Babes… By
FRANCINE L. TREVENS
Many dance companies worldwide
present The Nutcracker or the shorter version Nutcracker Suite
using choreography from various choreographers, including Balanchine and
Baryshnikov. Dance schools
often do special holiday performances of Cinderella or other family appropriate dance pieces. Again, if you live in
or near Manhattan, you may opt for a full day of family holiday fare,
including department store windows, the Rockefeller Center tree, and
a Broadway show. Assuming the threatened stage hands strike either is
aborted or short run, here are some suggestions for family entertainment
for those who love dance. Personally, if I could
choose only one Broadway musical, I would opt for The Lion King
as the first Broadway production a child sees. It is so magical, creative,
eye filling and larger than life, it is sure to impress and excite.
Having the animals march down the aisles or lean off the stage,
thus enveloping the audience in the jungle, is so exhilarating for youngsters.
The dance and fight and jesting is titillating for all ages.
I did some audience watching at the show, and whatever a person’s
age, the mere spectacle staggered the viewer… To give those with children
an extra edge, however, I asked a number of youngsters to give their
recommendations for seasonal entertainment in the Big Apple area for
those who love dance. When I attended the Martha
Graham Dance Company’s performances at the Joyce Theater, a couple of
young teens in the audience were raving about “Appalachian Spring.” I asked them if they thought other kids
would like it and was told, “How could they not?” So if the troupe is performing anywhere near you and you have
older children, go! A Maryland twelve year
old who has seen children’s theater there and in New York’s Tada! Theater,
and who has been to the Kennedy Center, Ice Capades, and other seasonal
events, made his first foray to Broadway this year, and chose to see
The Lion King, particularly familiar to him since he’d seen the
film.
Asked during the first act if he thought
the stage version was better than the film, young Michael DiGenova said
the movie was better. At
the end of the first act, he said he thought they were both equally
good. In the middle of
the second act he allowed as how the stage version might be better than
the film. But when he got back with his three younger
siblings, his enthusiasm for the Broadway show indicated he found it
far superior to the movie. He marveled at the dancers’
ability to create their animal beings and to move so well in their costumes.
“I thought they must have been heavy, but they didn’t move like they
were heavy.” While in the city, he
had also seen the Pilobolus dance troupe, and was blown away by them. Prior to going to the performance, he
had admitted he wasn’t much on dance, but during it he said it was great.
(Unfortunately, that troupe is away during the holiday season.) Asked which he would recommend
to other kids he said “The Lion King. It was funny and scary. Even some of the dancing was scary. I like scary. I think all kids would like it.” Michael also recently
saw, “back home,” High School Musical at Patriot Center and Jungle Book at Imagination Stage in Bethesda,
Maryland. He liked both, but “The Lion King was much better. There were more actors, more costumes, more dancing and it
was more exciting.” Ceanna Bryant, a nine-year-old
native New Yorker, has seen more than the average number of plays and
dance shows. Daughter of
parents who work in the theatre, she has attended many rehearsals and
has a more than childlike savvy about what goes into a production. Ceanna, who has seen Legally
Blond, Beauty And The Beast, Mary Poppins, Wicked, The Nutcracker and a host of children’s theatre productions, recommends Mary Poppins
because “It has something
everyone in the family can like and the dancing was good. I never got to see The Lion King,
so I can’t say about that…” Ceanna studies several
kinds of dance, although she prefers hip hop and modern dance to classical,
She has appeared in several dance recitals at her school, Midtown West.
Anastasia Rappaport, a
four and a half year old
from Fords, New Jersey got to see the Broadway version of Mary Poppins
during which, according to her mom Merrill, the child sat open mouthed.
and was totally entranced –“She watched,
she sang, she pointed when something especially interesting happened
— she smiled and she moved when they danced. She did not want to leave her seat during
intermission afraid she would miss something.” Anastasia was familiar with Mary Poppins because she
has the DVD at home and likes to watch it.
After the performance, they waited for real life ”Mary
Poppins” outside the stage door and not only got her autograph, but
got the star to pose for a picture holding her newest fan. Anastasia’s
family wanted to take her to The Nutcracker at Papermill Playhouse last year, but kids have to be at least six to
be admitted. She watched it on TV
She has seen lots of children performing for children theatre,
where a friend’s child performs… “We only take her to musicals
and she stays focused the whole time. She has seen musicals in Plays in the Park in Edison,
N.J.
The three Green family
children, Tori, 12, Kyra, 10 and Riley, 8 have seen ten Broadway musicals
and The Nutcracker. They all agreed The Nutcracker
had a “great Christmas feeling.” But Tori wouldn’t recommend it to all
kids. “It depends. The
short version would be good for 3-8 year olds and the regular length
for 9 and older. I've seen both versions but I like the longer one better
because the dances are much better.” Kyra
felt six and older would like it because they’d be old enough
to enjoy ballet. Riley, however said, “I think I saw it
when I was really little like 3 and I loved the bears and big toys that
dance, so, like, 3 years old and bigger.” Kyra wishes she could
see “ballets like Sleeping Beauty.” Riley would like to go to “hip hop shows.”
Tori said, “We saw Mary
Poppins, Chicago, Grease, Annie Get Your Gun, Wizard of Oz, The Boy
Friend, Charlie Brown and Bye Bye Birdie off Broadway. I
liked The Nutcracker best.”
Kyra voted for Bye Bye Birdie and Riley for Charlie Brown.
They make up their own dances to the songs for mommy and daddy and perform
them at dinner .Tori adds,” I think it's amazing how they dance and
sing at the same time. You have to be in great shape” They all agreed the Christmas
show at Radio City is “fun, and great for the holidays, but too short
and super expensive.” A professional kid dancer,
Toni Madison has been performing since she was seven. She did a tour of The Sound of Music
when she was 10. “We toured all over the country for nine months”. Toni has seen The Nutcracker
multiple times and thinks it’s great for kids from “five to 100.”
Of the Broadway musicals, and she says she’s seen them all, she
would vote between Mary Poppins and Wicked. “The dancing was very
different on every show. Like in The Lion King it was very African,
and in Wicked, more contemporary. She added. “ For a ballet,
Sleeping Beauty. It’s a fun way to experience ballet. Oh,
and Hairspray is another great dance show, but more for ages
starting at eight.” Back in New York this
year is The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, which brings to life the Dr. Seuss book to perfection. Last year’s version was a bit light on
dance, however, which may be why none of this year’s youngsters mentioned
it. Or maybe they just can’t
remember that long ago? Be sure to check local
theatre companies, schools and colleges to see what they are offering
over the holiday season for a close-to-home dance delight. Whatever your family choice,
do enjoy some dance this holiday season – be it on Broadway at
a school recital, or a ballet company. It inspires children to move
and is a great way for a family to celebrate together. |
